Balasore : An Introduction

Balasore is one of the coastal district of Orissa and forms the northern most part of the state.Lying between 21 degree 03’ to 21 degree 59’ North Latitude & 86 degree 20’ to 87 degree 29’ East Longitude,the district covers a landmass of 3634Sq Kms.It is flanked by Midnapore district of West Bengal is in its North, the Bay of Bengal is on the east and Bhadrak district lies on and Mayurbhanj and Kendujhar districts are on its western side. As per the 2001 Census, the population is 20,23,000 comprising 10,38,000 males and 9,85,000 females.

Geographical Subdivisions

This district is divided into three geographical regions

The Coastal Belt

The Inner Alluvial Plain

The North-Western Hills

The Coastal Belt: The coastal belt of Balasore is about 26 Kms wide and shapes like a strip. In this region, sand dunes are noticed along the coast with some ridges. This region is mostly flooded with brackish water of estuarine rivers which is unsuitable for cultivation. This area is utilized for coconut and betel cultivation. Shrimp culture and salt manufacturing units are also widely practiced in this region.

The inner alluvial Plain: This region is also called the deltaic alluvial plain. It is a wide stretch of highly fertile land irrigated land. It is highly populous and devoid of any jungle.This part is crisscrossed with perennial and estuarine rivers . Two important rivers of Orissa , namely :- Budhabalanga and Subarnarekha have passed through this region of the district from west to east before surging into the Bay of Bengal.

The North-Western Hills: The third region, north-western hilly region covers most of Nilgiri Sub-division. It is mostly hilly terrain and vegetated with tropical semi-ever green forest. The hills of Nilgiri has highest peak of 1783 ft. above the sea level and is inhabited by aborigines and tribal people.

The soil of Balasore district is mostly alluvial laterite. The soil of Central region is mostly clay, clay loam and sandy loam which is very fertile for paddy and other farm produces. Nilgiri Sub-division is mostly gravelly and lateritic soil, which is less fertile.A small strip of saline soil, is also seen along the extreme coastal part of the district.

The climate of Balasore district is mostly hot and humid. Summer season starts from March till May and is followed by rainy season from June to September. During this period, south-west monsoon causes maximum rain. But the district experiences highest rain fall during July and August. Because of its strategic location, this district faces most of the cyclonic storm that occurs in the Bay of Bengal. The winter season from December to February is very pleasant. The average temperature of the district varies between 22°C to 32°C and the average rain fall is 1583 mm.